vanbant



1. E. VANSANT', Hydrostatic Scals.

No. 11,393. Patented July 25, 1854 LIHIIIIIHIIM: m

Fey Z N. PETERS. Pholo-Uihogmphlzr. Washiuglon. DV 1:.

UITE STATES nna? OFFICE.

JOHN E. vANsAN'r, or LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

ARRANGEMENT or INnrcA'rmG-TUBEs FOR nscnn'rarnms TRIMMING VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,893, dated July 25, 1854.

Same; and I do hereby declare the following like p art-s.

to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, making a part thereof, in which-Figure 1 represents a view ofthe deck of a vessel with the indicatingapparatus in place. and Fig. 2 represents a vertical longitudinalsection through the same.

Similar letters in the two figures denote My invention is applicablealone to that class of steamboats wherein the strength of the hull ofthe vessel is sacrificed to 1ightness of draftsuch boats as ply on theIVestern rivers. An indicator at bow and stern of such boats, by nomeans exhibits her draft of water, as she may be on an even keel at bowand sternjand be hogged several inches in'her center. This not onlystrains the vessel, but where the depth of water and draft. of thevessel are calculated upon to almost a fraction of an inch, as is oftenthe case in the Western rivers, especially during low water, such bowand stern indicators alone, are calculated to de-. ceive, and endangerthe security of persons and property. It is to avoid this difficulty, inthe class of vessels referred to, that my invention is especiallydesigned for, and applicable to. It is admitted that an indicator at bowand stern in an ordinary seas going vessel, will show near enough thedraft of water such vessels are drawing, but

such indicators to light draft or weak vessels, so far from beingreliable, are actually dangerous, as they may not indicate the truedraft by several inches. 1

The nature of my invention consists in an arrangement to light draft, orweak hull vessels, of tubes with floats and indicators, at the bow,stern, and at two or more points in the wings or quarters of oralong thesides of the vessel, so that her true draft throughouther length andbreadth may be ascertained, and so that she may be loaded .IDRAFT OF ANDFOR or trimmed on an even keel, to avoid h0gging or straining.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings. I

A, represents the hull of a light draft steamboat, having at her bow andstern, and at intermediate points between them in the wings, hollowtubes 64, a, a, a, a, a, the

number depending. somewhat upon the length of the hull, and the locationof the boilers and engine. These tubes may extend from the deck down toor a little below the light draft line, and be placed in the mostconvenient position, inside of the hull, at the points selected forthem, to secure them from accident. ,The bottoms of these tubes may benearly closed, leaving a small inlet. 6 for the water to enter andescape. This inlet 6, may be either through the bottom or side of thehull, its object being to allow the water to find its level in the tube.Within the tubes are placed floats c, of any ordinaryconstruction, thatwill rise and fall with the water in said tubes; and to these floats arod or wire (Z is attached extending up above thetop of the tube so asto indicate on a marked scale 6, the exact depth of water the vessel isdrawing at each and every point where such tubes and indicators may beplaced. By watching theseindicators (which may be in thehold of thevessel the vessel may be evenly trimmed at all points by those stowingthe cargo, and thus insure the vessel against straining,

while the true draft of water is at all times known.

Instead of wires or rods connected to the float, it may be a cord orchain runnlng over a pulley, with a counterweight, and

of the well known ways.

Having thus fully described thenature of my invention I would statethat, I am aware that the bow, stern, and rudder stocks of vessels havebeen marked to indicate the draft of water and that tubes withindicators have been used near the bow and stern connected therewith,but this I do not claim, as such tubes and indicators will not fully,and clearly give theentire condition of the draft at all points, in theclass of provided with an indicator and scale in any vessels to Which Iapply my tubes and indicaters. But

What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis- The arrangement of tubes and indicators, in the bow, stern, andquarters 0r Wings of light draft vessels, for the purpose of keeping hertrimmed by indicating the'true draft of Water throughout her length andbreadth, and preventing the hogging or straining of 10 the hull,substantially as described.

J. E. VANSANT.

Witnesses:

A. B. STOUGHTON, THOMAS HENRY UPPERMAN.

